~ politics for the people

Union leader’s fact-free rant against Momentum vice-chair should be withdrawn

Why are comments closed on the deplorably fact-free LabourList story about Manuel Cortes of the TSSA and anti-Semitism?

Is it because someone might write a polite rebuttal of his comments, pointing out the falsehoods and misunderstandings in them?

Firstly, why does he consider Ms Walker to hold anti-Semitic views? She is Jewish herself, let us remember.

She questioned the definition of anti-Semitism put forward at a Jewish Labour Movement training day because it used a discredited definition of anti-Semitism that attempts to combine the political state of Israel with Zionism and suggests that opposition to the actions of the first and the behaviour of those who identify with the second is somehow anti-Semitic.

What about the fact that the Jewish Labour Movement smuggled a camera into this ‘safe space’ in order to pass prejudicial footage out to the right-wing press. Was that all right, then?

Yes, Ms Walker criticised Holocaust Memorial Day because it does not acknowledge genocidal events prior to World War II. Is that criticism not justified? Or has Mr Cortes not looked into it?

As for security at Jewish schools – I remain confused. Is this a reference to a situation here in the UK? If so, why was Ms Walker’s comment about security at her child’s school countered with a comment about IS attacking a school in Toulouse which, unless I am mistaken, is in France?

It seems Mr Cortes made his comments without full knowledge of the facts of the situation – and LabourList posted its article in a similar state of blissful ignorance.

Perhaps both could research their subject a little better before adding their threats to the persecution of someone who might – just might – have a point.

The vice-chair of Momentum is today under increasing pressure to quit after a major trade union backer of the Corbynite group expressed its disgust at her comments about Holocaust Memorial Day.

The head of transport union TSSA described Jackie Walker’s views as “abhorrent” after she criticised the annual day of remembrance , questioned the need for security at Jewish schools and said she had not found a definition of anti-Semitism she could “work with”,

Jackie Walker, who has vigorously denied claims of anti-Semitism, has apologised but faces a fight to retain her role at Momentum.

Last night Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA, called for swift action against Walker and threatened to pull his union’s support for Momentum if they kept her in place.

“I am deeply saddened that a fellow member of our Labour and trade union family holds such anti-Semitic views,” Cortes said.

“Jeremy rightly spoke of the urgent need for our Party to unite so we can take on the Tories. Frankly, I can’t think we can do this when people who holds such abhorrent racist views are allowed to remain active within our Party.

“I am asking Jackie that in the interests of unity she resigns at once from our Party and also as vice-chair if Momentum. If she doesn’t, both the Labour Party and Momentum need to act to get rid of her at once. Furthermore, TSSA will seriously reconsider our union’s support for Momentum if she is still in post by this time next week.”

I agree wholeheartedly with everything except the point about security for Jewish schooling. If a school can be attacked in Toulouse then one can be attacked in London, that seems pretty plain. so it’s not unreasonable to expect an escalated level of security in the circumstances.

Different levels of national security between France and the UK, though.
And wasn’t Ms Walker saying there’s security in her child’s (non-Jewish) school and wondering why it was being claimed that Jews need something more?

Mike. You need to see what Left Futures has put out today, totally anti Walker and orientated on a book regarding the Bristol Slave Trade by Quakers but no mention of the trade in Felixstowe, Hull, Newcastle, Folkestone, Plymouth, Portsmouth or any other major sea trade/cross channel port activities. It also makes no mention of the trade emanating from the other side of the channel or even originating in the US, ultimately making it’s way over here, so totally biased in it’s conclusions.http://www.leftfutures.org/2016/09/jackie-walkers-position-is-untenable-she-should-go/
PS. I quoted you in my response, hope you don’t mind but I didn’t want to get you into trouble with these people.

Jackie Walker is one of the tops in Momentum and that’s what she as done wrong the anti-Semitism is jst the tool they have used to get rid. This anti-Semitism is wheeled out every time they want to get rid of some one